(Update: CC Contributor Johannes Dutch has confirmed that this is not an actual Coronado, as they were built by Chrysler’s Rotterdam only through 1962. So this extended sedan was apparently built by another unidentified coach builder).

CC Cohort T.Minor has posted a couple of shots by Yaniv Ouzana of a very unusual and highly rare automobile, quite possibly the only one left in the world: A 1970 extended-wheelbase 8 passenger sedan (obviously based on a 1970 Plymouth) that he identified as a Coronado, built in Chrysler’s Rotterdam plant and used in Israel as a taxi cab. And if that’s not exotic enough, according to T.Minor, this would be powered by a Perkins diesel engine. The only thing missing is a Mod Top.

The Coronado 8 passenger sedan was first built in Rotterdam in 1958. Allpar.com has the only article on the web about them. They were built on a 142″ wheelbase, reinforced frame, and other heavy duty components, and powered by either the 230 inch flathead six or the 318 poly V8. They actually weren’t badged “Coronado” the first few years, and apparently were available in either Plymouth, Dodge or DeSoto versions.

By 1962, this Plymouth-based unibody version was being just called “Coronado”. Wheelbase was down to 140″, and now powered by either the slant six or the 318. And the Perkins diesel engine was also available. Exactly which version was used is not stated. Again, allpar.com has an article on the use of Perkins diesels on their European cars (and a few US taxis and pickups too). But it lacks specifics on exactly which model Perkins was used, especially on the later versions.

Allpar’s article on the Rotterdam plant says it ended production in 1969, so that would mean this 1970 Coronado would be the end of the line. And I’ve not been able to find any images on the web of an Coronados past the ’62 shown above. Were these made continuously until the 1970 model? Just exactly what engine did it have under its hood? Did it have just 80 hp, as T.Minor suggests? More questions than answers with this very unusual car.

Now we see the best use of a 2 door sedan of that decade – as the base for a well-proportioned limo. Except for that 62 model in the picture, the roof on that thing is just 9 kinds of wrong.

This must have been an extensive modification with that big unibody. I can only imagine what the underside of that thing looks like.

Chrysler was the king of the long wheelbase 8 passenger sedan from the 30s up through 1954. It is a little surprising that they didn’t do some low-volume production of something like this after the new 55s came out. They might have given Checker a run for its money in the U.S. taxi market.

This particular type of stretched car was of course used only for specific purposes. But as we’ve discussed here extensively over the years, big American cars were very common in Europe, more so in some countries than others, well into the 70s. The energy crisis and the growth of more European large luxury cars finally dinged that market, but some big American cars continued to sell reasonably well (GM B-Bodies) into the 80s and beyond.

Many American manufacturers had European plants to build and/or assemble their big cars for the European market, as it was their biggest export market back then. This Rotterdam plant was first owned by Kaiser-Frazer to build their cars for Europe.

Not sure what was built where, but when I llived in Amsterdam iin the mid-90s, there was one of these parked not too far from me in the Nieuw Suid district. I have a Chrysler International book from the mid 60s that has a Coronodo shot – will scan it when I get back from Baltimore tomorrow. (Paul, I was on Falls Road earlier today, with visions of you racing early 70s LTDs down to the body shop).

Meanwhile, after some reading on several websites, I’ve come to the conclusion that not a single Mopar C-Body was ever built in the Rotterdam plant. According to the information I found they built the compacts, the Barracuda included, and just a small number of B-Bodies in the sixties.

This limo may well come from Rotterdam. That’s from the Rotterdam Port, not the Chrysler plant. Most likely it’s a Dutch built 1970 Plymouth Fury III limousine conversion, exported to Israel.

Did you read the allpar article on the Rotterdam Chrysler factory that I linked to? Here’s a few excerpts:

The first United States-designed models were produced at the end of 1959. A wide range of 1960 models, similar to the American versions, were made in low volumes. In the first year, even the big Chrysler Windsor/New Yorker were built. It was, for most models, the last year with the big fins. Plymouth had the biggest fins, and were hard to sell to the conservative buyers. It was decided to cut the fins off to “Mercedes style.” But we had not changed the catalogue and for some time we had customers complaining that they had not ordered this type of car.

As in the United States, 1960 was a difficult production year because of the new unibody construction and the effect it had on other components and the total quality. These problems would last till the 1963 model year, when Chrysler introduced their unique 5 year/50,000 miles warranty program.

In spite of some of these problems, the new Valiant (and later Lancer) compacts had a good reception with the public and would soon become the mainstay of the plant.

In just one year, production would be streamlined. Rotterdam would then mainly build the compact range including the Barracuda and moderate volumes of 4 door B-body sedans (Plymouth Belvedere/Dodge Coronet), internally called “the conventionals.”

Special production items included limited diesel production and a small series of 8 passenger limousines under the name Coronado. The Plymouth Coronados essentially continued a line made in Antwerp, using the Plymouth Belvedere as the basis; the rear compartment had extra folding chairs. Engines were a six cylinder and a Perkins four-cylinder diesel.

But I just didn’t find anything, anything at all, about (the 1965 and later) C-Bodies. We can of course send an e-mail to Mr. Hans Ensing, the Dutch Mister Chrysler. That’s where all the Rotterdam information on Allpar is coming from.

I sent Mr. Ensing an e-mail this afternoon, I hope he’s willing to answer. He also wrote the book that Pete mentions below.

Johannes Dutch

Posted November 15, 2015 at 12:09 PM

I just got an answer from Mr. Ensing.

Chrysler Group C-Bodies were never built in Rotterdam. About 300 Coronados were built in the Rotterdam plant, all based on 1960-1962 Plymouths. The main reason that they stopped building Coronados was that a company from Israel cancelled an order for 100 (!) Coronados. With a big discount these were then sold throughout Europe, after a firm reconditioning (they were parked on a lot for about a year)

1960-1962 Coronados were available with a gasoline or diesel engine.

Many thanks Hans !

So this article’s Plymouth can never be a Coronado. And a 1970 Plymouth Fury, being a C-Body, was never built or assembled in Rotterdam.

Glad you brought this fact to light. In the late 70s I was stationed in Iceland and my “boss” owned a 74 Dodge Dart or Plymouth Valiant that was built in Europe. I thought it was perhaps Belguim, but it may have been built in the Rotterdam plant.
In Iceland, taxes and tariffs are quite high so for “the average Joe” to own a car with a 6 or even 8 cylinder engine it has to be a “commercial” vehicle (as in taxi or limo). That “compact” Mopar with it’s 318/automatic transmission combo was a “large” car in Iceland in 1978, but even in all the snow and ice it ALWAYS got where it needed to go.

These are neat. It looks a little in construction like the k car limos of the eighties. The black sedan type of taxi has lasted till today in many big cities all over the world and even today the Chrysler 300 is a part of that. Making the Coronado off the Fury instead of the Imperial makes it seem more egalitarian. Perkins diesels also seem ubiquitous in sixties Europe. I think it is also what you got in your export Volga, also made from a kit in the low countries.

Standard Vanguard and Hillman Super minx wagon featured optional Perkins diesels BMC Farina A55/60 Sedans used a BMC diesel modified from marine use, it certainly wasnt all Mercedes and Peugeot in the diesel field of play.

Our host on this site needs to write up a short article about these
damn green bins, they do have wheels. I saw them in China and in Central America. In the US Virgin Islands they were home to the imported mongoose
population who were know as Dumpster Squirrels.

The Coronado _could_ have had a gasoline engine if it were used by the Israeli Tourist Service which provided limos for well-heeled visitors but if it was a taxi it would have had the Perkins which could at that stage have been the larger P 99.108 (108 ci) and certainly had no more than the aforementioned 80 hp, which – if you believe Chrysler’s Israeli ad below – was more than enough to climb the road from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem at 80 – 100 Km/h – in a car fitted with a Torqueflite…

By the way, the 7+1 seater cab was a common sight in Israel until the advent of the minibus in the 90s, and Chrysler was prevalent all through the 50s, with many Desotos and Chryslers sold. These were known as “Monit Sherut” (Service Taxi) and used in the same way as buses on intercity services. They would stop at the bus stops and drop or pick up passengers; fares were slightly higher than what was charged by the bus operators but they were obviously more comfortable.

… But when Chrysler lost interest in the 60s, Checker became the dominant US-made cab in Israel until it foolishly chose to offer the GM diesel which ruined its reputation and allowed MB to take control with the W123…

Parts of the Rotterdam plant are still there,but it is slowly disappearing and being replaced by newer buildings. Have been there a lot, and still sometimes, for my job.
There is a interesting Dutch book about the plant and the cars they produced, I should have it somewhere on the attic, lots of pictures and numbers.